Realize two things. First, those athletes you mentioned are some of the best athletes in the world. They have both the genetics, the effort, and the time to train and get themselves in that condition.
Second, soccer is not the same as endurance running. The energy systems and movement patterns are entirely different.
A forward in a typical pro soccer game will probably cover 10,000 m total. This breaks down into about:
1500m walking
1000m all out sprinting
1500m jogging about 55% vo2max
1500m running about 95% vo2max
Then of course, there are all the changes in direction.
Now, soccer players do not run this much every single day. A high level soccer player with one match a week may train like this:
Sunday: Match
Monday: Rest/active recovery
Tuesday: 15 min warm up, 30 min of technical/tactical work, 20 min of play, 20 min of high intensity aerobic conditioning, 15 min cool down
Wed: Strength training in the AM; Warm up, technical work, speed endurance training PM
Thurs: Warm up, 20 min technical work, 30-40 min play
Fri: Warm up, longer sprint training, play
Sat: Warm up, shorter sprint training, play (reduced workout)
Br
Check out this article for more info, and some ideas of how to set up training programs:
Journal of Sports Sciences
Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information:
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t713721847
Physical and metabolic demands of training and match-play in the elite
football player
Jens Bangsbo a; Magni Mohr a; Peter Krustrup a
a Institute of Exercise and Sport Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Muscle Research
Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark
